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Newsdesk 2006
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RANELAGH HARRIERS E-NEWS # 213 26 April 2006
Editor: Steve Rowland
mailto: steverowland@ranelagh-harriers.com
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HEADLINE NEWS
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* Fari Shams runs sub 3 hours in London Marathon and wins Brasher Bowl
* Mick Lane is first man home and wins Winter Cup
* Mike Peace and John Hanscomb keep up their "ever present" records
* Nadia Fidler wins Mini-Marathon 13-14 age group
* Anna McLaughlin 3rd in Welsh 5km championship
SEE HERE
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GAZETTE
The latest Ranelagh Harriers Gazette has been published and there are copies
in the clubhouse now. Please help yourself to one and add your name to the
list. The remainder will be sent out shortly.
PARKLAND RELAY Wednesday 3rd May in Richmond Park
This is a 4 x 3 miles relay organised by Thames Hare & Hounds in the Park,
starting at 7pm near the Pen Ponds. Men's, women's and mixed teams can take
part. Let Andy Bickerstaff know if you are interested (contact details
below).
HOGSMILL LADIES 5 miles Sunday 7th May at West Ewell
Anna McLaughlin writes:
"A quick reminder to get those entries in for the Hogsmill Ladies 5M. This
is an excellent race for every ability, and last year's picnic was worth the
entry fee alone!
SURREY CHAMPIONSHIPS
Our own Richmond Half Marathon on 14th May and Dysart Dash 10km on 25th June
have both been designated as county championships this year. Entry details
for both are on our website.
DORKING 10 MILES
This will be on Sunday 4th June starting at 10am. It is the Surrey 10 miles
championship and features in our Grand Prix and the Surrey Road League.
SURREY ROAD LEAGUE
The Sutton 10km on May 7th is the opening fixture
(http://www.suttonrunners.org) followed by the Dorking 10m on June 4th, the
Dysart Dash 10km on 25th June, the Elmbridge 10km on 23rd July
(http://www.elmbridgeroadrunners.co.uk/) and the Wimbledon 5km on 13th
August.
CRISIS RUN
Chris Wright writes:
"Crisis, which is a charity for homeless people, runs a yearly 3.5 mile run
around the City of London. This year it's on Thursday 8th June at 7pm. Entry
fee is £12 before 26th May and £14 thereafter. I know there are quite a few
people who volunteer at Crisis shelters over Christmas in the club. It would
be great to get a team out running. I've set up a Ranelagh Harriers Team on
the Crisis website: http://www.crisis.org.uk/smr/index_nf.html. If anybody
has problems registering, I can help point them in the right direction
(mailto:chris@wrighttime.co.uk)".
STRAGGLERS JUNIOR SERIES
Juniors can run for Ranelagh at the Stragglers junior handicap team races
2km (or 0.5km for the very young) on the playing field of the Hawker Centre,
Lower Ham Road, KT2 5BA.
Dates this year are:
Thurs 27 April (7 for 7:30pm)
Thurs 25 May (7:30 for 8pm)
Thurs 29 June (7:30 for 8pm)
Thurs 13 July (7:30 for 8pm)
Thurs 27 July (7:30 for 8pm)
Thurs 31 Aug (7 for 7:30pm)
MASTERS TRACK LEAGUE
All Ranelagh "masters" - aka vets - are eligible and welcome to have a go at
the summer track league representing St Mary's Richmond AC (formerly
Richmond and Twickenham AC). All the fixtures are on Monday evenings in
Battersea Park. There are separate over 35, over 40 and over 50 categories
for women and over 40, over 50 and over 60 for men. There is a different
selection of events at each fixture, but a middle or long distance event is
always included. First event is at 6.30pm.
Julie Drummond writes:
"Calling all ladies from 35 - 65+, your help is needed again for this year's
Vets Track League at the Millennium Arena in Battersea Park. The dates are 8
May, 22 May, 19 June and 3 July. The meetings are very low key and fun -
please come along if you can and give it a go. Travel is easy, it's about a
ten minute walk from Queenstown Road station which is on the main Waterloo
to Richmond line. My email address for further information is
thedrummonds@blueyonder.co.uk".
The first match on Monday 8th May includes M40, M50 and M60 1500m at 8.10pm
and W35, W40 and W50 1500m at 8.25pm. There's a 2000m walk at 7.20pm and
other events include 100m, 400m, Shot Putt, Hugh Jump, Long Jump, Discus and
relays. Anyone is welcome to try anything!
The second match on Monday 22nd May includes M40 and M50 3000m at 8pm and
W35, W40 and W50 3000m at 8.20pm. As a warm-up there's a women's 800m at
7.20pm followed by the men's at 7.35pm. Other events include Hammer, Triple
Jump, Long Jump, Javelin and relays.
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WHAT'S COMING...
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More details of the following from
Andy Bickerstaff ( mailto: andy@norris-hobs.co.uk ) or
Phil Aiken (07739 035189 / mailto: phil.aiken@rnid.org.uk ) or
Anna McLaughlin (07971 606521 / mailto: anna.mclaughlin@itv.com ).
Saturday 29th April Bushy Park Time Trial 5km. 9am start
Monday 1st May Barry Jones 5 miles. 11am start at Wimbledon Park.
Wednesday 3rd May Parkland Relay. 7pm start in Richmond Park. See
above.
Saturday 6th May Bushy Park Time Trial 5km. 9am start
Thames Turbo Junior Races. 9am start in
Bushy Park (Hampton Hill Gate)
Sunday 7th May Hogsmill Women's 5 miles. 10am at West Ewell. See
above.
Sutton 10km. 10.30am start. Surrey Road
League Race 1.
Saturday 13th May Bushy Park Time Trial 5km. 9am start
Sunday 14th May Richmond Half Marathon. 8.30am start from the
Ranelagh clubhouse. Details on our website.
Saturday 20th May Green Belt Relay Day 1 Hampton Court to Blackmore
Bushy Park Time Trial 5km. 9am start
Sunday 21st May Green Belt Relay Day 2 Blackmore to Ham
WHAT'S HAPPENED...
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LONDON MARATHON Sunday 23rd April
Temperature perfect, a light rain and little or no wind. "That had to be the
best conditions we've had for the London since the first in 1981," writes
Mike Rowland.
Fari Shams was our only starter with the women's elite field this year and
she set off with a will. 10km was passed in a frighteningly fast 40.38 and
the half distance in 87.06. She might have been expected to fade after that
but although the second half was slower Fari stuck to the task and crossed
the line just four seconds inside the three hours barrier. This was a great
performance which takes her to 6th place on Ranelagh's all-time list and
wins her the Brasher Bowl club women's marathon championship.
Top of the Ranelagh women's list is of course Priscilla Welch's 2.26.50 from
1987. Until today that stood as the third fastest-ever by a Brit, but Mara
Yamauchi's 2.25.13 now pushes her down one place.
The race for the Winter Cup club marathon championship was a close one. Mick
Lane went out hard and passing 10km in 36.48 he had already built up a lead
of almost a minute and a half over Duncan Bell. That lead extended only
marginally over the following miles and stood at just over two minutes at
30km. Then Duncan began to close and by 40km there was only 100 metres
between them. But Mick has a wealth of experience over the distance and
proved the stronger in the run for home. He finished powerfully in 2.42.06,
his fastest time as a veteran and 57 seconds ahead of Duncan.
Close behind them all the way was Steve Whitehead who ran a well-judged race
to finish in 2.46.17. He writes: "All predictions pointed at 2.47 so I was
pleased to dip below that. Possibly a minute too quick over the first half
but other than that it went more or less to plan. All the Ranelagh
supporters on the course deserve a mention. Those that encouraged me by name
or with a shout of 'Come on Ranelagh' really made a difference and were a
great source of motivation". Niall O'Connor echoes that: "Thanks for all the
shouts of support from around the course - it does make a difference!"
Ken Fotherby - as ever a model of pace judgement with 10km splits of 41.04,
41.43, 41.42 and 42.31 - and Trevor Maguire were our only other finishers
inside three hours, though Neil Walford was just a few seconds outside and
Nik Wright made it home in 3.05.
Niall O'Connor continues: "This is a familiar tale. I started well, felt
comfortable going through halfway in 1:29. Got to 16 miles in 1:55, which
had me well inside me goal of 3:12 and I could see the coiffured locks of
Trevor 25m ahead. Thought to myself 'This isn't too bad, kind of easy
actually'. Cue the long drag home resulting in 1:20 for the last 10 miles -
phew! Just relieved that I actually ran the whole thing. I taped the race so
if anyone wants to view it let me know and I'll get it to you. I feature for
about ten seconds at the start which I expect will be more than enough to
qualify me for the celebrity start if I attempt it again".
Mike Peace suffered from hamstring trouble but breezed round in 3.15 in his
26th London Marathon. Fellow ever-present John Hanscomb had stated that 2005
would be his last but he couldn't resist another try as a 70 year-old and
finished well in 4.29 for second place (out of two) in Ranelagh's Over 70
ranking list! Over 60s Peter Taylor and Pete Warren moved into 10th and 11th
places in their list.
We had two other women, Kerry Anley and Alice Beverly, inside three and a
half hours, though Alice was in her Oxford Uni colours. Julia Baverstock
recorded 3.48 and there should be a special mention for Ian Grange who ran
four hours just a couple of weeks after completing the Paris Marathon.
Bringing up the rear as usual was race-walking Mike Rowland. "My long
distance training has been hopeless. But I just got faster as the race went
on. I could have done many more miles, I felt so fresh. It was so weird. It
just had to be the conditions. I even managed to beat ex-Olympian Shaun
Lightman by a couple of minutes! Blowing my own trumpet a bit, I know, but I
was so surprised".
Mini-Marathon
Frances Ratchford reports:
"The steady drizzle that accompanied the mini-marathon did not deter Nadia
Fidler from running one of her strongest and best races to win the U15
mini-marathon championships in a time of 15.22. At the half-way point she
was running a strong tactical race overtaking and pushing steadily to the
front of the pack and there she stayed to win the race. She received a cup
and congratulations from Cherie Blair for her win. Nadia's comment after the
race: 'I can't believe it, it all seems unreal'. There were also strong
performances from Nadia's team mates and training partners, Georgia
Miansarow and Rachel Pryce who both finished at the top end of the race".
Nadia's dad Chris adds: "This is the third time Nadia competed in the event,
the first year she fell at the start! The other girls were so pleased for
her, Georgia and Rachel both stayed behind to see her after the
presentations and one girl, Lucy, although not able to compete came up to
support".
In the U13 race Amelie Hunton made the top ten with Eve Edmunds and Emily
Johnston not far behind. Joss Moran was 21st in the boys' U13s and Jamie
Taylor-Caldwell just got the better of Taylor Nunn in the U15s. Our fastest
was the 15.12 of Matt Hirschler in the boys' U18 race.
BUSHY PARK TIME TRIAL 5km Saturday 22nd April
There was a record field of 161 for the London Marathon BPTT and in
excellent conditions many personal bests were set, including a 30 seconds
improvement from Marc Snaith and a fourth consecutive PB from Roger Wilson.
Jenny Lloyd-Jones took ten seconds off her previous best and finished 3rd
woman for the second week in a row. John Hanscomb was presumably just
warming up for the next day's marathon!
1 R Stannard (Unatt) 15.43
17 Marc Snaith 18.05
20 John Atkinson 18.17
27 Steve Elswood 18.52
31 Chris Read 19.01
37 Jenny Lloyd-Jones 19.22
43 Darren Wood 19.59
46 Roger Wilson 20.04
48 Chris Camacho 20.13
59 Alan Davidson 20.46
63 Chris Wright 20.57
73 Adam Wright 21.26
77 Paul Bisping 22.00
110 Karen Broadbent 23.53
117 Gill Wilson 24.29
129 Steve McClune 25.55
142 John Hanscomb 27.39
HAMBURG MARATHON Sunday 23rd April
Colin Frew writes:
" I came down with flu last Sunday. I fought it all week, but still felt
terrible on Friday and Saturday and was taking lemsips and flu tablets. If
we hadn't actually had tickets to travel I would have bailed, but we went
anyway.
I started trying to stick to 4.15 k's, (no miles in Hamburg), but I was
sweating within the first 5k. I gradually felt better and managed to keep
that going to around 30k, and then gradually started to suffer badly. I had
to stop and walk at 38k, but realizing I still had almost 3 miles to go
managed to start again and finished in 3.09. I was 1.27 at the half....so it
hurt!
Maybe a little disappointed, as I know I had more in me to go faster, but
happy to finish in the circumstances. Hamburg was a good PB course.
Maybe...next time...".
1 J Rey (Spain) 2.06.52
1079 Colin Frew 3.09.29
LOCHABER MARATHON Sunday 23rd April
1 S Pride (Forres) 2.27.57
66 Iain Wilson 3.16.08
CARMARTHEN MAYOR'S 5km Monday 17th April
Anna McLaughlin reports from the land of her fathers:
"On Monday I ran the Carmarthen Mayor's 5k, which also doubled up as the
Welsh Championships. Although the race didn't quite go to plan (and with no
mile or km markers, it proved difficult to get back on track once I had
started out a little too fast!), I finished in bronze medal position, which
I am really proud about as it is not every day you win a National
championship medal! I am saying nothing about my time as I know that I can
do better, but as I was so far behind the other two, it didn't really matter
as I wouldn't have got a different coloured medal anyway!!"
Women
1 N Stanford (Swansea) 16.43
3 Anna McLaughlin 18.14
BOSTON MARATHON Monday 17th April
Marius Acker - currently based in the Cayman Islands - went through 10km in
35.23 and half way in 76.06, but then the wheels came off. His finishing
time was a painful 3.18.35.
PARIS MARATHON Sunday 9th April
Ian Grange was also in Paris and finished 11985th in 3.51.56, chip time
3.44.00.
FINALLY...
It looks as if there may be now only 25 London Marathon ever-presents left,
including Mike Peace and John Hanscomb. They even have their own web site!
Take a look at http://www.everpresent.org.uk/.